This Genesis New York Concept Is a Sleek Glimpse at Hyundai's Luxury Future

Hyundai is setting its luxury aspirations quite high for its newly spun-off luxury brand: It's taking on the Mercedes S-Class with the Genesis G90 sedan and has its aim on BMW M too. We've only seen one production car from the Genesis brand—the aforementioned G90—but having just seen the Genesis New York Concept, we're pretty excited for what's next for the Hyundai sub-brand.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Genesis wanted to "let the design do the talking" with the New York Concept, but make no mistake, this is a rear-wheel-drive sports sedan that wants to go head-to-head with the venerable BMW 3 Series. Its 245 horses come from a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder mated to a hybrid system, though Genesis didn't reveal any further drivetrain details.

DW Burnett/Puppyknuckles

It also shows the future design direction of the brand, which will be applied to various sedans, crossovers and SUVs.

"This car is not a show car," said Hyundai and Kia cheif designer Peter Schreyer at a New York Auto Show press conference. "It's a glimpse into the future of Genesis."

DW Burnett/Puppyknuckles

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The New York concept looks great in this lovely shade of blue-grey. The rear three-quarter view is especially pretty with a fastback roof tapering off into a tail somewhat reminiscent of a Mercedes-AMG GT. Quad exhaust pipes surrounded by copper-colored body accents add to the sporty image.

DW Burnett/Puppyknuckles

Schreyer said that establishing an all new design language is challenging, but a challenge he and his team welcome.

"It's a dream briefing for us," said Schreyer in an interview with Road & Track. "There's not something to be interpreted; Instead, you're building."

It'll be a while before this concept morphs into something you can actually buy, but Genesis seems to be headed in the right direction. In a sometimes-boring New York Auto Show, this concept was a breath of fresh air.

We'll have to wait and see if it actually turns into a car to threaten BMW and Mercedes.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Road & Track participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.